tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137381005394542015.comments2017-08-22T13:57:15.131+01:00David J. ColwillDavid J. Colwillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00936595519854071302noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137381005394542015.post-6646870355774156112017-08-22T11:55:35.917+01:002017-08-22T11:55:35.917+01:00&quot;...there might be better strategies out ther...&quot;...there might be better strategies out there&quot;. I agree. Personally I believe the solution is to recognise and embrace the public space that these statues occupy. Erection of a new statute embodying new ideals in the same public space shows the progression of social values. Interesting visual metaphors could be incorporate. A simple example is height. Erect a new statue in the park that embodies alternative values (and recognises the old values as apprehensive) that is tall, stand bolder that the pre-existing statue. Alternatively show the conflict. Create a contextual dialogue between the two statues. For example: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/12/charging-bull-new-york-fearless-girl-statue-copyright-claim : Although, in this example, I also feel that the subsequent artist misunderstood the benefits of a bull rather than bear market. Nevertheless, it created a public dialogue.<br /><br />&quot;...what if a British university or city removes a statue or name to a historical benefactor&quot;. This is an interesting point. It show the duality of humans, that a single person can do both good and bad in their life. The question is whether memorialisation acknowledges just the single act of kindness a benefactor offers, or memorialises the totality of this person life?<br /><br />I also want to add that, to an extent, the victors of conflict should not be allowed to irradiate the history of the defeated. Part of the problem is that the moral values we now hold are victorious of the ideals of the past. Pushed to the extreme, this power of might over the past can lead to some abhorred destruction of past cultures. See: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/09/150901-isis-destruction-looting-ancient-sites-iraq-syria-archaeology/ In light of this, what Charlottesville shows to me is that issues of race are far form ancient history in USA. The controversy around the statue highlights the controversies in society. This feeling of current relevance (freshness) is why Charlottesville feels somehow different to the activities of ISIS –in my opinion. But this current relevance should not form a decisive factor as to whether a statue or artefact is removed from a public space. We need to learn to live along our history, in public, rather than confine these issues to the private sphere. Otherwise, without public discourse, we run the risk of the private sphere entrenching attitudes.James Parishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06979082674912859058noreply@blogger.com